Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the most recent UK trade figures published by the ONS on 12 October; and in particular, the decrease in imports and exports with non-EU countries.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston
The latest UK trade figures were published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 22 December 2022. These show that:
1) UK exports (goods and services) in the 12 months to end of September 2022 were £777.6bn, an increase of 24.1% in current prices compared to the previous 12 months, and up 11.9% once adjusted for inflation. Of this, UK exports to non-EU countries were £447.4bn, up 23.5% in current prices.
2) Over the same time period, UK imports were £859.6bn, an increase of 29.4% in current prices and up 11.2% once adjusted for inflation. Of this, UK imports from non-EU countries were £456.4bn, up 31.3% in current prices.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether the progress of negotiating free trade agreements and economic partnership agreements is constrained by a lack of staff and resources.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Government has an ambitious programme of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. When delivering any programme, but particularly one of such scope and ambition as our FTA programme, resource will always be a constraint.
To achieve the best outcomes for the UK, we manage the delivery of our work to ensure that we use our finite resource in the right way. This has allowed the Department to realise unparalleled success in the delivery of our FTA programme. So far, we have agreed trade deals with 70 countries plus the EU. Those deals covered £766 billion of our bilateral trade in 2020.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what priority they are giving to negotiating economic partnership agreements with Commonwealth countries.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
We are committed to working with our friends and allies in the Commonwealth to remove unnecessary barriers to free and fair trade.
The UK already has trade deals with 33 Commonwealth members. In addition, a further 15 Commonwealth members who qualify as developing countries benefit from reduced tariffs under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel on 4 November (HL3304), when the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) will advise on the free trade agreements negotiated between the UK and (1) Australia, and (2) New Zealand; and whether the TAC will provide their advice before the agreements are finalised.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
As agreed during the passage of the Trade Act 2021, the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) will consider whether the relevant provisions of an FTA are consistent with the maintenance of UK levels of statutory protection in relation to: animal and plant life or health; animal welfare; and the environment. In line with this, the TAC will consider the agreement after it has been signed but prior to it be laid before Parliament under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act. The TAC will not advise on policy or live negotiations.
The TAC will commence its scrutiny of the free trade agreements negotiated between the UK and (1) Australia, and (2) New Zealand following signature of these agreements. The TAC will then have a minimum of three months to prepare its advice.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on British farmers of the Free Trade Agreements negotiated with (1) Australia, and (2) New Zealand.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
We have engaged closely with farmers seeking their views throughout negotiations. The Agreements will include protections for the agriculture industry, and we have a range of tools to defend British farming against any unfair trading practices.
Following the conclusion of negotiations, full impact assessments will be published which set out the impacts of the Agreements.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that imported meat and food products under any Free Trade Agreement meet the same high standards of production in terms of (1) animal welfare, and (2) health environmental conditions of home produce; and whether failure to meet such standards will mean these imports will not be allowed.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
HM Government remains committed to Britain’s high animal welfare, food safety, environmental, product and labour standards. We have established the Trade and Agriculture Commission and placed it on a statutory footing to independently help us make sure that British food safety standards are protected throughout trade negotiations.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of provisions in recent roll-over trade agreements that grant trading surpluses to partner countries rather than for UK exports; and what assessment they have made of the benefits to date of the UK's departure from the EU.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The United Kingdom has sought to reproduce the effects of trading agreements that previously applied, to ensure continuity for British businesses. The Department has published parliamentary reports for all such partner countries containing explanations of any changes or significant differences between these bilateral agreements and the previous EU trade agreements (e.g. gov.uk/government/publications/continuing-the-uks-trade-relationship-with-canada-parliamentary-report).
The United Kingdom’s departure from the EU presents opportunities for us to do things differently and better. HM Government has already acted in a number of areas, for example, establishing the new ‘Points Based System’ on migration and replacing the Common Agricultural Policy. The United Kingdom can capitalise on new regulatory and policy freedoms, and the ability to find new ways to drive growth internationally, enabling us to deliver on the priorities of the British people.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the (1) remit, and (2) composition, of the proposed Trade and Agriculture Commission; and whether the Commission's recommendations to the Government will be binding.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Department for International Trade has announced on Friday 10 July further details of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission which has been set up to act as an advisory board to my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade.
The Commission will be chaired by Tim Smith, former director of FSA, and will have a fixed term of six months to consider trade policies that Government should adopt to secure opportunities for UK farmers, producers and exporters. The Commission will ensure the sector remains competitive and that animal welfare and environmental standards in food production are not undermined. At the end of its work, the Trade and Agriculture Commission will produce an advisory report which will be presented to Parliament by the Department for International Trade. The recommendations will not be binding as the Commission has an advisory role.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Minsterial Forum set up to include the devolved administrations in trade policy and trade agreements last met; how often it has met since it was established; and what is the composition and remit of the Forum.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Ministerial Forum for Trade last met on 22nd April 2020. It has been convened twice since it was established in January of this year and will meet again in the coming weeks. The Forum is chaired by my Hon Friend, the Minister of State for Trade Policy, and membership comprises Ministerial representatives from each Devolved Administration and UK Government Territorial Offices. The forum covers matters of trade policy, including the UK’s current and future negotiations, priorities at the WTO and trade disputes.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the UK’s revised World Trade Organization tariff schedule relating to agricultural imports will come into effect.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
In the event of a ‘no-deal’ exit from the EU, the UK’s tariff schedule for all goods will come into effect at the point that the UK leaves.
The UK will implement this temporary tariff regime for up to 12 months whilst a full consultation and review on a permanent approach is undertaken.
In the event of a deal being secured the UK will continue to apply the EU’s Common External Tariff during any implementation period. The UK would seek to negotiate a Future Economic Partnership with the EU during this time and publish a revised applied tariff schedule at the end of the implementation period.